A warning sign is emerging in New York politics.
A new poll finds that most New York voters are uneasy about the growth of socialism and the increasing profile of candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America.
The survey, conducted by co/efficient for the right-leaning Coalition to Protect Nassau, asked respondents how concerned they were about the rise of socialism and DSA-backed candidates in New York.
Of the 1,046 likely voters surveyed, 56% said they were concerned about socialism’s expansion in the Empire State. That figure included 44% who described themselves as “very” concerned, while 44% said they were not worried.
Republicans expressed the strongest opposition: 85% said they were concerned, including 77% who said they were very concerned.
Democrats offered a sharply different view. Sixty-two percent said they were not concerned about the growth of socialism, compared with 38% who said they were worried.
Among voters unaffiliated with either major party, 58% said they were concerned about expanding socialism, including 44% who were very concerned. The remaining 42% said they were either not concerned or not concerned “at all.”
In the New York governor’s race, Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul holds a 48%-41% advantage over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, according to the poll. Eleven percent of likely voters remain undecided.
Hochul’s lead has grown slightly since the group’s previous survey in July, when she was ahead of Blakeman 47% to 41%.
The polling firm also correctly anticipated in 2022 that Hochul’s contest with then-Long Island Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin would be significantly tighter than many public polls suggested.
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Hochul ultimately won that race by six percentage points, matching the margin shown in the coalition’s September 2022 survey.
Two other recent independent polls also show Hochul ahead of Blakeman, though by wider margins. Siena University found her leading 50% to 41%, while Quinnipiac College put the race at 58% to 39%.
Still, Hochul’s favorable ratings remain underwater. Just 36% of likely voters in the Nassau County Taxpayers poll view the governor positively as she seeks a second term, while 46% hold an unfavorable opinion and 18% are undecided.
Blakeman’s numbers are more evenly divided: 33% view him favorably, 35% unfavorably and 33% either remain unsure or have not heard enough about him to form an opinion.
The broader mood in New York is also negative. Fifty-two percent of voters said the state is moving in the wrong direction, compared with 27% who believe it is headed the right way. The rest did not offer an opinion.
The leading issues for voters were the cost of living and inflation, followed by taxes and government spending.
Yet despite concerns over the socialist movement, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani—the state’s most prominent democratic socialist—received stronger marks in the survey than both Hochul and President Trump.
Statewide, 44% of voters approved of Mamdani’s performance during his first year in office so far, while 43% disapproved and 13% remained undecided.
Trump’s job approval was considerably lower, with 32% of voters approving and 60% disapproving.
The co/efficient poll for the Nassau Coalition to Protect Taxpayers surveyed 1,046 likely voters from Sept. 23 to 25 through mobile text messages as well as cellphone and landline interviews. The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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